Means for ventilating tunnels



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. A. UN MEANS FOR VB 'ATIN NNEL'S.

No. 462,025. Patented Oct. 27; 1891.. Y

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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. A. YOUNG. MEANS FOR VBNTILATING TUNNELS. No. 462,025. Patented Oct. 27, 1891.-

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. YOUNG, OF SOMERVILLE, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF TO CHARLES F. BROIVN, OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEANS FOR VENTILATING TUNNELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,025, dated October 27, 1891,

Application filed July 1, 1891. Serial No. 398,159. (No model.)

To a. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. YOUNG, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means-for Ventilating Tunnels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide means for ventilating tunnels containing railway-tracks and removing therefrom the smoke and gases discharged from locomotives passing through the tunnel, I The invention includes a partition extending lengthwise of the tunnel across the same and dividing the tunnel into a lower and an upper compartment, the partition being of sufficient height to permit the trains to pass under it through the lower compartment. Said partition has at its central portion a lon- 2o gitudinal way or slot guarded by oneor more (preferably two) flexible diaphragms or valves, which normally stand in position to bridge over the slot and maintain the continuity of the partition, but are adapted to yield to up- N ward pressure and separate, thus allowing smoke, gases, and cinders forced upwardly by the exhaust from a locomotive to pass through the slot or way into the upper compartment, the said diaphragms or valves open- 0 ing to receive the smoke, &JC., only at a point in close proximity to the Smokestack of the locomotive and closing automatically behind the smoke-stack.

The invention also includes a foraminous support or bridge extending across the slot or way in the partition and formed to support the valves or diaphragms when they are at rest or closed, and thus prevent them from sagging ordropping into the slot or way without preventing the free upward passage of smoke, gases, &c., through said slot or way into the upper chamber.

Of the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective sectional View of a railway-tunnel provided with my improvements. Fig. 2

or opened by the exhaust from the smokestack of a passing locomotive. Fig. 4 represents a section on line i at of Fig. 3.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, CL represents the tunnel, which is shown in transverse section in Figs. 1 and 2. The partition is composed of two rigid sections 1) b, which are preferably composed of metal plates suitably secured to the walls of the tunnel, and two flexible sections constituting the valves or diaphragms b b. The rigid sections are separated from each other by an opening or way 0, extending continuously through the tunnel. The movable sections are arranged to normally bridge over said wayand constitute with the fixed sections a practically continuous partition. Each of the movable sections is a sheet or strip of suitable flexible material,which should be fireproof. I consider the ordinary asbestus cloth or fabric of commerce a suitable material for said movable sections, and in practice prefer to make each section a continuous strip of asbestus cloth, which may be made up of sections of suitable length secured together, and each section may be composed of one or more thicknesses or plies and re-enforced, if desired, by wire-cloth. The outer edges of the movable sections are suitably attached to the fixed sections, as by bolts or rivets r 0", as

shown in Fig. 4:, and each section is inclined,

so that their free outer edges meet over the center of the opening or way between the fixed sections, said free edges being retained in contact with each other by gravitation, and they may be weighted, if desired, as by chains secured to the free edges.

To prevent the sections or valves b b from sagging downwardly in the way or opening 0, I secure to the rigid sections 1) b a bridge c of any suitable foraminous construction which will support the sections or valves 1) in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 without obstructing the upward passage of smoke, 5

&c., through the way or opening 0. I prefer to make said bridge of wire-cloth of suitably coarse mesh, although, if preferred, transverse bars arranged at suitable distances apart may be substituted for the wire-cloth, or any other upward passage of smoke and gases when the valves areopened. WVhen a locomotive is passing through the tunnel, the pressure of the exhaust from the smoke-stack causes the movable sections to yield, as shown in Fig. 3, an opening being thus formed for the pas sage of the smoke and gases upwardly through the way or opening 0, said opening changing its position with the movement of the locomotivethat is to say, the movable sections or valves b I) open immediately in front of the smoke-stack and close behind the same in a manner that will be readily understood.

It will be seen from the foregoing that substantially all the smoke, gases, &c., ejected from the smoke-stack will pass upwardly through the way or opening 0 and will be pre vented from falling or returning into the main portion of the tunnel by the automatically-closing sections or. valves Z) Z). The smoke and gases thusaccumulated in the upper section of the tunnel may be removed in any suitable way, as by exhaust-fans arranged at suitable intervals along the tunnel. I prefer, however, to utilize the force of the exhaust to induce or create a current in the upper chamber of the tunnel, which will carry the smoke and gases .toward one end of the tunnel. To this end I provide each smokestack with a movable hood or cowl j, which is pivotally connected to the smoke-stack at j and is adapted to deflect the blast either forward or backward from the mouth of the stackand give the blast an inclined direction, as indicated in Fig. 4. I prefer to arrange the cowl so that it will direct the blast forward, the blast being in all cases directed upwardly.

It will be seen'that by giving the blast an inclined direction, as described, I cause each blast to give animpulse in one direction to the smoke and gases accumulated in the upper chamber of the tunnel, so that a current is created which tends to carry the smoke and gases toward one end of thetunnel, each smokestack contributing its quota toward the formation of such current, the different smokestacks acting somewhat on the principle of the steam cone or nozzle of an injector, inducing a movement of the air and gases in the upper chamber of the tunnel.

I am aware that it'has been proposed to partially subdivide a tunnel,so as to form an upper chamber above the main portion of the tunnel, communicating with the main portion through a longitudinal slot or way arranged over the center of the track, so that the smoke and gases carried upwardly by the exhaust from the locomotive will pass into the upper section, from which it has been proposed to remove the smoke and gases by means of exhaust-fans. I am not aware, however, that any one has employed, suggested, or described a longitudinal valve covering said way or-opening and adapted to be raised or opened by the pressure of the exhaust and to automatically close after the pressure has subsided. This feature and the means for giving an inclined direction to the blast from the smokestack, I believe to be new with me.

I do not limit myself to the employment of two movable sections or valves, as a measurably-successful result might be produced by the employment of a single section 1). Hence I do not limit myself in this. respect. The sections or valves b may also be made in independent sections instead of in continuous strips, like so many trap-doors of flexible material, and arranged end to end. I regard it as essential, however, that the valves or movable sections be of such construction and material as that their opening and closing movementwill be comparatively noiseless and not attended by injurious percussive blows or jars.

I claim 1. The combination, with a railway-tunnel, of a compartment or passage in the upper part thereof for the reception of smoke and gases from a locomotive, said compartment or passage having a longitudinal way or slot, a flexible covering for said way or slot, and means for preventing the falling of said covering through the said slot, substantially as described.

2. In a railway-tunnel, a partition composed of suitable fixed sections separated byalongitudinal way or opening, one or more flexible sections forming a valve arranged to normally cover said opening, and a foramiuous support extending across said opening to prevent the downward displacement of the valve, as set forth.

3. A railway tunnel having a partition composed of suitable fixed sections separated by a longituninal Way or passage, movable sections composed of strips of flexible material, each connected at its outer edge to one of the fixed sections, its opposite edge being free to rise and fall, and a foraminous support extended across said opening to prevent the downward displacement of said movable sections, as set forth. I

I11 testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 20th day of June, A. D. 1891.

JAMES A. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

0. .11 BROWN, EWING W. HAMLEN. 

